How to pronounce ready
Say it like RED-ee. Ready has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (RED).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce ready. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- RED
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ready pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- REDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of ready
American and British speakers say ready in essentially the same way: /ˈrɛdi/ in the US and /ˈrɛdi/ in the UK.
British respelling: RED-ee.
What does ready mean?
- completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress“get ready”“she is ready to resign”
- (of especially money) immediately available“he seems to have ample ready money”“a ready source of cash”
- mentally disposed“he was ready to believe her”
- prepare for eating by applying heat“Cook me dinner, please”“can you make me an omelette?”
- make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc“Get the children ready for school!”“prepare for war”
- poised for action“their guns were at the ready”
Where does ready come from?
From Middle English redy, redi, rædiȝ, iredi, ȝerǣdi, alteration ( + -y) of earlier irēd, irede, ȝerād (“ready, prepared”), from Old English rǣde, ġerǣde (also ġerȳde) ("prepared, prompt, ready, ready for riding (horse), mounted (on a horse
Words that rhyme with ready
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of ready.
Questions about saying ready
How do you pronounce ready?
Say RED-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈrɛdi/. In British English it is /ˈrɛdi/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in ready?
Ready has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (RED). Broken into parts: RED · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say ready the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈrɛdi/ and the British form is /ˈrɛdi/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.